Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has officially accepted his emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 election, describing the outcome of the party’s primary as a strong endorsement of his leadership and development agenda. The governor, who is seeking a second term from 2027 to 2031, expressed gratitude to APC members for their overwhelming support, which he said reflects confidence in his administration’s performance over the past three years. The APC governorship primary was held on Thursday, May 20, 2026, and officially declared on Friday at the party’s state secretariat in Makurdi by Prof. Mohammed Kabiru Isa, Chairman of the Governorship Primaries Committee.
Alia secured 367,786 votes in the primary, decisively defeating his closest challenger, Dr. Terwase Orbunde, who polled 3,247 votes. In his acceptance speech, the governor hailed the victory as a mandate for continuity and thanked party members for what he described as an overwhelming show of confidence in his leadership. He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ensuring a level playing field during the exercise and praised the APC national leadership under Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda and the Benue APC leadership led by Chief Benjamin Omale for conducting a peaceful and transparent primary.
In a gesture of unity, Alia extended an olive branch to other aspirants, urging them to join hands in strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. He highlighted key achievements of his administration, including major strides in infrastructure, healthcare, education, industrialisation, and digital innovation. The Benue Investment and Property Company, under his leadership, has revived and established several industries, including a brewery producing “Zeva Premium Beer” and “Oyi Bitters,” as well as water, bakery, nail, polythene, and fruit juice factories.
On healthcare, Alia announced the upgrade of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital into a modern medical facility and the rehabilitation of over 100 primary healthcare centres across the state. In infrastructure, his administration has constructed over 500 kilometres of roads, including underpasses in Makurdi and Gboko. In education, more than 400 classroom blocks are being constructed or remodeled in public primary schools, and over 10,000 teachers have been recruited to improve learning outcomes.
The governor also revealed the establishment of the Benue State University of Agriculture, Science and Technology in Ihugh, designed to produce graduates with practical skills in agro-technology and science. He highlighted his administration’s digital transformation drive, including partnerships with Microsoft and Google to train over 10,000 youths in ICT and provide e-governance training for civil servants. Alia called for peace and unity across political, ethnic, and religious lines, vowing to continue governing with transparency, compassion, and accountability.
He emphasized that accepting the APC ticket was “not a personal triumph, but a call to greater service.” As Benue State prepares for the 2027 elections, Governor Alia’s re-emergence as the APC flagbearer signals a focus on sustained development and inclusive governance.
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